Kings County
Biographies
MARK BASSETT
A native of England, Mark Bassett, who has achieved more than statewide reputation as a breeder of horses, cattle, hogs and poultry and whose ranch three miles north of Hanford is one of the showplaces of that part of Kings county, was born August 1, 1848. He remained there until 1880, becoming a farmer, then came to Canada and located in Ontario, where he farmed eleven years, until he made his way across the continent to California. He came to Kings county in 1895 from Fresno county and bought one hundred and sixty acres of land two miles north of Hanford, one hundred and sixty acres four miles north, and eighty acres at Armona. His one hundred and sixty-acre homestead has one hundred acres in orchard and vineyard; the other one hundred and sixty acres is in alfalfa except forty acres which is given to fruit; and his eighty acres at Armona is devoted to the cultivation of fruits and grapes. He has a total of eighty acres in vineyard and one hundred and twenty acres in apricots and peaches. Soon after he came to the county he began raising thoroughbred Poland-China hogs. He imported his original stock and now has forty registered sows. During the past six years he exhibited hogs at various state fairs and it is of record that he took first prize at the Seattle Exposition in 1909. His hogs and chickens have taken hundreds of first prizes at fairs and exhibitions in Oregon, Washington and California, and are known for their excellence throughout the entire coast country. He also makes a specialty of Percheron horses and is the owner of a thoroughbred stallion and owns a share in another. His chickens are barred Plymouth Rocks and black Minorcas. His land is all well improved and his home is one of the most attractive in this vicinity.
From time to time Mr. Bassett has very public spiritedly interested himself in numerous enterprises. He is a stockholder in the Lucerne Creamery, in the Armona Fruit and Raisin Packing Co. and in the Farmers and Merchants' Bank of Hanford, and is a member of the Kings County Chamber of Commerce.
In October, 1872, Mr. Bassett married Miss Helena Lander, a member of old English families, who has borne him twelve children, ten of whom are living: Helen, wife of J. Malott ; Mabel, who married Frank Pursell; William George; Mark, Jr.; John; Bertha, wife of John Day; Edith, who married Louis Nieson; Ernest ; Guy, and Archie.
History of Tulare and Kings Counties, California with Biographical Sketches - Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company, 1913
pp. 717-718
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
MELVIN A. HILL
A native of Indiana, born in La Grange county on March 14, 1844, Melvin A. Hill is a son of the late William Remington and Sarah (Gregg) Hill, natives of Monroe county, N. Y., and South Carolina respectively. The former was born in 1815, went to Indiana at an early day and grew up with the pioneer life of that period. He married in that state about 1841, and remained there until September 10, 1859, when with his wife and seven children he started across the plains with ox-teams and prairie schooners. Arriving in this state he settled down to the life of a rancher, following this until his death here, with the exception of a short time spent in Oregon, where he went to join his son Melvin A.
Melvin A. Hill attended school until he was fifteen and remained in California with his parents until 1864, when he went to Oregon. Soon after he returned to this state, and in 1874 we find him in Tulare county after having lived and labored for a time in Ventura county. Farming has been his occupation ever since reaching manhood. When he came to this part of the state Kings county had not been set apart from the mother county of Tulare and all trading was done in Visalia for many years. He bought one hundred and sixty acres of land on the Hanford-Tulare road, began its improvement and assisted to build the Lakeside ditch to supply the water for irrigation. All the improvements seen on his ranch have been placed there by himself and he has carried on general farming and stock raising with increasing success all these years. There is probably no man better informed than is Mr. Hill on the successful production and sale of crops and stock, and it would be impossible for any one to give himself more devotedly to his business or to have brought an enterprise to a higher plane of success.
In Santa. Barbara, Cal., on September 1, 1872, occurred the
marriage of Melvin A. Hill with Cynthia Reuk, a native of Adams county, Ill.,
and two children were born to them, Henry, who is farming on eighty acres given
him by his father, and Cora, who died in infancy. Mrs. Hill passed away in
September, 1909, and on September 15, 1912, Mr. Hill was united in marriage with
Mrs. Mary Ball.
Mr. Hill has not taken an active interest in politics other than to east his
vote for the men and measures that he considers for the greatest good to the
greatest number. He is interested in the cause of education and served as
trustee of the Frazer district for two years. He is patriotically interested in
economic questions local and national, advocated the organization of Kings
county, and assists all worthy enterprises for the advancement of the interests
of the people and county. His success has been of his own making and he is
looked upon as one of the substantial pioneers of the county, and has a wide
acquaintance in this section of the state.
History of Tulare and Kings Counties, California with Biographical Sketches - Los Angeles, Calif., Historic Record Company, 1913
pp. 718-719
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler